The present invention relates to an assemblage of two pieces of bodywork for uniting edge to edge, and to a piece of bodywork belonging to such an assemblage.
Pieces of bodywork are requiring to be positioned relative to one another with ever-increasing accuracy in order to guarantee a pleasing appearance for a vehicle.
In this context, various solutions have already been devised consisting in fixing each piece of bodywork accurately to the structure of the vehicle, while taking care that adjacent pieces of bodywork benefit on their contiguous edges from fixing points that are adjacent or even identical.
The fixing means used in those solutions need to be relatively strong since they also serve to support the pieces of bodywork while simultaneously ensuring that they are properly positioned relative to one another.
Those fixing means are generally constituted by separate fittings, often made of metal, thereby giving rise to problems of cost both in terms of supplies and in terms of labor.
The present invention seeks to provide a novel assemblage of two pieces of bodywork which can be assembled together simply and quickly and which ensures very accurate relative positioning between the two pieces.
The present invention provides an assemblage of two pieces of bodywork, each piece having an outside face and a flange substantially perpendicular to said outside face and suitable for pressing against the flange of the other piece, the assemblage being characterized in that each flange carries at least one tongue extending towards the other piece beyond the flange of said other piece, the assemblage further comprising a fastener member suitable for engaging around the tongues and for preventing them from moving relative to one another when in a predetermined position in which the two pieces of bodywork are united flange against flange.
Within the meaning of the invention, the term xe2x80x9cflangexe2x80x9d is used to designate a portion projecting from the edge of the piece of bodywork.
It will be understood that the invention provides simple means for connecting together the facing edges of the two pieces, in a manner that is simultaneously robust, simple, and quick, and without requiring numerous fittings to be added for fastening purposes.
By means of the invention, the two pieces of bodywork are prevented from moving relative to each other in three directions by means of their tongues and by means of the single fastener member.
In a particular embodiment of the invention, each flange carries a plurality of tongues, each of which can be engaged between two tongues of the other flange.
Preferably, the tongues of one flange are spaced apart in pairs by a distance substantially equal to the width of the tongue on the other flange that is to be interposed between them.
For example, on each of the two pieces of bodywork, the width of the tongues can be constant and equal to the spacing between two tongues. Under such circumstances, the tongues belong alternately to one and to the other one of the two pieces of bodywork and they interlock so as to prevent one another from moving.
This interlocking of the tongues is readily understood by analogy with the position of the hands of a person who has interlocked fingers.
In a particular embodiment of the invention, the fastener member has at least one open cavity enabling it to cover two tongues together with at least a portion of the two flanges of two assembled-together pieces, said cavity having at least one bearing point against each tongue and at least one bearing point against each flange.
According to various particular characteristics of the invention:
the end of each tongue tapers so as to make it easier to insert between two tongues on the other edge;
each tongue extends substantially perpendicularly to the flanges:
the tongues are oriented in such a manner that the two pieces of bodywork assemble together along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle;
the fastener member is a rigid section member of cross-section in register with the cavity that defines internally at least a portion of the outlines of the cross-sections of the tongues and at least a portion of the outlines of the cross-sections of the flanges of the two assembled-together pieces;
the fastener member is a resilient section member having two branches defining the cavity and suitable for splaying apart from each other by elastic deformation to allow the two tongues to pass through the opening into the cavity;
at least one of the pieces carries means for snap-fastening with the fastener member so as to hold the fastener member on the tongues of the two flanges;
at least one of the two pieces is made of a thermoplastic or thermosetting plastics material; and
the fastener member is made of plastics material.
The invention also provides a piece of bodywork having an outside face and a flange substantially perpendicular to said outside face, the piece of bodywork being characterized in that said flange carries at least one tongue extending transversely to said flange and projecting beyond said outside face.
In a particular embodiment, the piece of bodywork has a plurality of tongues spaced apart in pairs.
Advantageously, the piece of bodywork includes means for snap-fastening with a fastener member engaged on its flange.